Melania's Solo Travel: Air Force One Access?

There has been much speculation about Melania Trump's travel arrangements when flying without her husband, former US President Donald Trump. On two separate occasions, Melania travelled solo to Andrews Air Force Base, breaking White House tradition by driving alone to Air Force One. This came amid allegations of her husband's infidelity. Prior to moving to the White House, Melania reportedly spent over $675,000 on military flights while living in New York.

Melania Trump's solo travel to Air Force One amid Trump affair allegations

First Lady Melania Trump travelled solo to Andrews Air Force Base as reports continued to swirl about her husband's alleged infidelity. This was the second time in two months that she broke White House tradition and opted to drive alone to Air Force One.

The change in schedule came just one day after former Playboy model Karen McDougal went on "Anderson Cooper 360" and made new allegations about an affair she claims to have had with President Trump in 2006.

On this occasion, Melania had been slated to ride aboard Marine One to Joint Base Andrews with her husband, but instead, Trump flew alone and met up with the first lady once they had both boarded Air Force One.

This wasn't the first time the couple had travelled separately. They had done the same thing in February when they were due to meet with the Parkland shooting victims in Florida. On that occasion, Melania's communications director, Stephanie Grisham, claimed, "With her schedule today, it was easier to meet at the plane."

Prior to moving into the White House, Melania Trump's travel using Air Force jets while she was living in New York and her son Barron was finishing the school year cost more than $675,000. Over three months, she took 21 flights between New York City, Florida, and Washington.

In January 2021, the former first lady travelled with Donald Trump on Air Force One to Palm Beach, Florida, marking their last flight as President and First Lady. Notably, Melania left her husband to face the cameras alone as they disembarked, walking away expressionless while Trump waved.

Cost of Melania Trump's military flights while living in New York

During the first few months of her husband's presidency, Melania Trump lived in Trump Tower in New York City. She chose to stay in New York so that her son Barron could finish the school year uninterrupted. During this time, she took 21 flights on Air Force jets, travelling between New York City, Florida, and Washington. These flights, which took place between President Trump's inauguration in January 2017 and April of that year, cost more than $675,000.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the high cost was partly due to the fact that the jets were based at Joint Base Andrews, meaning they sometimes had to fly without passengers to pick up the first lady. There were 27 flights made without passengers to accommodate Melania Trump.

In addition to the flight costs, Melania's security detail at Trump Tower cost the New York Police Department between $127,000 and $146,000 per day. The Secret Service also requested an additional $60 million to protect the president's family.

The cost of Melania Trump's flights during the three-month period was about twice as much as former first lady Michelle Obama's average annual private travel costs. Over eight years, Michelle Obama's solo travel cost more than $2.8 million, or an average of about $350,000 per year.

Reasons for Melania Trump's separate motorcade to Joint Base Andrews

During her time as First Lady, Melania Trump often travelled separately from her husband, Donald Trump, including to Joint Base Andrews. On one occasion, she rode in a separate motorcade to President Trump's for his inaugural State of the Union address, breaking with tradition.

There were several reasons for Melania Trump's separate motorcade to Joint Base Andrews. Firstly, she may have had a different schedule or itinerary, as was the case in March 2018 when she drove with the guests she had invited to the State of the Union address. On this occasion, Melania hosted a reception and photo opportunity for the guests and their friends and family, and then accompanied them to the Capitol. She also hosted a more intimate meet-and-greet with the guests before the speech.

Another reason for Melania's separate travel could have been to avoid the press amid ongoing allegations of her husband's infidelity. In March 2018, Melania travelled solo to Andrews Air Force Base as reports swirled about President Trump's alleged affair with former Playboy model Karen McDougal. This was the second time in two months that she opted to drive alone to Air Force One, breaking with White House tradition.

Furthermore, Melania's separate motorcade may have been due to her living in New York during the first few months of President Trump's time in office. During this time, she used Air Force jets to take 21 flights between New York City, Florida, and Washington, costing more than $675,000. These flights were necessary so that her son, Barron, could finish the school year. However, this separate living arrangement and travel situation was only temporary until Barron finished the school year.

Finally, the separate motorcade may simply have been a logistical decision or a matter of convenience, as was suggested by Melania's communications director, Stephanie Grisham, who stated that "with her schedule today it was easier to meet at the plane".

Donald Trump's preference to stay awake on Air Force One

While it is unclear whether Melania Trump travels in Air Force One when travelling alone, it is well known that her husband, former President Donald Trump, has some interesting habits when it comes to flying.

Trump reportedly never sleeps on board Air Force One, preferring to stay awake and watch Fox News, much to the exasperation of his aides, who he wakes up at any hour to "catch up or gossip" or discuss unfavourable media coverage. Trump has previously said that he only sleeps for four to five hours a night when at the White House, and even less when he flies, according to officials who fly with him.

During long-haul flights, which can stretch to nearly 20 hours, Trump generally stays in the front cabin, eating, watching television, reading newspapers, and talking with staff. He also makes calls to friends and supporters back home. If Trump sees something on television that upsets him, he asks aides to rectify it. He also spends hours reviewing cable news coverage and going through cardboard boxes full of newspapers and magazines.

Trump also has a tendency to wake sleeping staffers and bring them to his office to discuss upcoming meetings or devise a response to negative media coverage. He often chats with his aides about sports or gossip, despite being encouraged to join Melania in their private cabin to rest.

While previous presidents often flew through the night to save time, Trump usually arrives at his destination in the evening and starts his talks the following day. He also limits foreign travel to one or two countries at a time and prefers to go straight to the hotel, even for a few hours.

Air Force One's security and safety features

Air Force One is the name of the plane that transports the President of the United States. The plane has several security and safety features, including:

• The ability to survive a nuclear blast. The body of the aircraft is designed with a wired mesh on the windows to prevent radiation, hardened equipment and wiring to withstand an electromagnetic pulse, and thermal and nuclear shielding to counter fire.
• In-flight refueling capabilities, allowing the plane to stay airborne indefinitely, which could be crucial in an emergency.
• A retractable stairway and its own baggage loader, ensuring that the crew does not have to rely on airport facilities, which could pose a security risk.
• Distinctive security measures, including electronic countermeasures to jam enemy radar and the ability to eject flares to throw heat-seeking missiles off course.
• Encryption and scrambling devices for secure air-to-ground communication, ensuring that the President can communicate with anyone in the world while in the air.
• A state-of-the-art command centre with highly-digitalized communication security, enabling the President to make split-second decisions and respond to attacks or national emergencies.
• An onboard medical facility with the latest medical technology, a fold-out operating table, an extensive pharmacy, and emergency room equipment. A doctor also travels with the President on Air Force One.

While some of the plane's features are classified, it is clear that Air Force One is designed to provide the President with a secure and safe mode of transportation.

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